Display and mounting stand for a plurality of vending machines



Nov. 30, 1965 G. WEITZMAN 3,220,556

DISPLAY AND MOUNTING STAND FOR A PLURALITY OF VENDING MACHINES FiledJuly 10, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR NORM/IN 6'. WE/ 7'ZMAN Nov. 30,1965 N. G. WEITZMAN 3,220,556

DISPLAY AND MOUNTING STAND FOR A PLURALITY 0F VENDING MACHINES FiledJuly 10, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 7 I 28 4. 58 INVENTOR. NORM/IN 6iWi/TZMAN lQa United States Patent 3,220,556 DISPLAY AND MtBUNTlNG STANDFOR A PLURALTTY 0F VENDING MACK-EYES Norman G. Weitzman, 16401 Knapp se,Sepulveda, (Ialif. Filed July 10, 1964, Ser. No. 381,734 12 Claims. (Cl.211-4) Generally speaking, the present invention relates to a displayand mounting stand for a plurality of vending machines and, moreparticularly, to such a display and mounting stand provided with aplurality of substantially horizontally directed, vertically spaced, andvertically superimposed supporting shelf members, with each supportingshelf member in one preferred form of the invention, being normallyadapted to support two or more vending machines. The arrangement justdescribed provides a very compact grouping of a plurality of vendingmachines arranged in several vertically spaced and verticallysuperimposed rows thereof and with the apparatus being arranged tofirmly retain and positively lock all of said vending machines in saidvertically spaced, vertically superimposed rows thereof and in a mannerincapable of removal from the plurality of shelves of the display andmounting stand except by an athorized person, such as a maintenance orservice man, who has a key adapted to unlock and release the lockedrelationship of the plurality of rows of vertically superimposed vendingmachines from the plurality of supporting shelves.

In other words, the novel display and mounting stand of the presentinvention is adapted to mount and display a plurality of vendingmachines at a display and vending location, such as in a market or otherpublic place, for coin-operated vending operation by the general public,with all of the vending machines being firmly locked against undesiredand unauthorized removal thereof or tampering with the interior thereofby unauthorized persons, but in a manner which will allow a maintenanceor service man to quickly and easily unlock the apparatus so that one ormore of the vending machines can be removed as units from the displayand mounting stand and interchanged with, and replaced by, correspondingvending machines which contain full supplies of the product to be vendedand which have their coin-receiving chambers completely empty.

The interchanged or replaced vending machines may then be quickly lockedinto nonremova'ble and tamperproof relationship with respect to thedisplay and mounting stand, and the vending machines which have beenremoved therefrom can be taken by the service or maintenance man back toa central depot for the emptying of the coin-receiving chambers thereofby an authorized person and for the recharging of the merchandisereceptacles thereof with a full measure of the merchandise to be vended.

The above-described arrangement has the decided advantage that it allowseach individual vending machine to be locked in a manner incapable ofbeing opened by the maintenanace or service man who removes same fromthe display and mounting stand and returns same to the central depot.Therefore, no short count of the money in the coin-receiving chamber ofeach of the vending machines can occur as a result of dishonesty orinaccuracy on the part of said maintenance or service man. It Will benoted that with the arrangement just described, the money-receivingchambers of the vending machines are not opened until they are returnedto the central depot where they are opened in the present of severalpersons to insure absolute honesty and accuracy in the counting of themoney removed from the vending machine coin-receiving chambers. Thus, anabsolutely accurate accounting of monies received by the vendingmachines can be achieved.

Patented Nov. 30, 1955 ice Contrast the arrangement made possible by thepresent invention as just described above with the conventional priorart arrangement where the maintenance or service man normally is given akey which will open each of the vending machines itself, and he does soas he removes the coins therefrom and reloads same with the merchandiseto be vended. Thus, it is quite possible for the maintenance or serviceman to turn in a lesser amount of coins than the amount actually removedby him from the coin-receiving chambers of the vending machines on hisroute. This is possible because he is by himself and there is nochecking or suppervision of the coin count by any other person. However,this undesirable prior art situation which leads to inaccurate andreduced coin counts is completely overcome by the novel apparatus of thepresent invention since, as pointed out above, no coins are removed fromany of the vending machines except at the central depot under thesupervision of several individuals and under conditions such that thepossibility of thievery and inaccuracy in the coin counting operation isvirtually entirely eliminated.

Furthermore, it is a considerably faster operation for a maintenance orservice man to merely remove and interchange vending machines as unitsthan would be the case where the maintenance or service man must openeach individual machine, remove the coins therefrom, and recharge themachine with merchandise, as has been the conventional prior artpractice.

Therefore, it will normally be found that one maintenance or service mancan maintain and service a larger number of vending machines, where theyare mounted by the novel display and mounting stand of the presentinvention, than was the case with conventional prior art arrangements.

Additionally, there is less likelihood of contamination of themerchandise to be vended with the arrangements made possible by thepresent invention, since all of the merchandise remains in the centraldepot until the vending machines are brought into the central depotwhere they are refilled. This is a much more sanitary arrangement thanthe conventional prior art arrangement, where the service or maintenanceman usually carries quantities of merchandise in his automobile or truckas he drives from one display stand location to another and opens andrefills each of the vending machines along his route.

Additionally, the complete removal of individual vending machines andthe interchanging thereof with replacement vending machines has certainother advantages with respect to repair, service, and maintenance of thephysical and mechanical elements thereof since no repair will beattempted at the actual display stand location With the highlyadvantageous arrangement made possible by the present invention. Inother words, all repair work will normally be done at the contral depot,and all that is necessary for a service man to do is to replace anydefective vending machine with a replacement vending machine as he makeshis rounds on his route.

With the above points in mind, it is an object of the present inventionto provide a novel display and mounting stand for a plurality of vendingmachines having any or all of the features referred to herein,generically and/ or specifically, and either individually or incombination, and which is of relatively simple, inexpensive, compact,and easy-to-use construction capable of mass manufacture at relativelylow cost whereby to be conducive to widespread use thereof.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a combination inaccordance with the teachings hereof including a display and mountingstand and a plurality of vending machines in combination therewith andalso to provide just a display and mounting stand, per se, orindividually as a subcombination form of the complete combinationversion of the invention.

Further objects are implicit in the detailed description which followshereinafter (which is to be considered as exemplary of, but notspecifically limiting, the present invention), and said objects will beapparent to persons skilled in the art after a careful study of thedetailed description which follows hereinafter.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present invention, twoexemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in thehereinbelow-described figures of the accompanying two sheets of drawingsand are described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a reduced-size, three-dimensional view of one exemplaryembodiment of the present invention showing it in mounted relationshipwith respect to four vending machines, althoiigh the invention is not tobe construed as being specifically so limited since the invention may bemodified to carry various different numbers of vending machines greateror lesser than the four shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is a right side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1. m

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken in thedirection of the arrows 33 of FIG. 2 and with all portions of theapparatus below and behind the plane of the section being removed fordrawing simplification purposes.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken in the directionof the arrows 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is another enlarged fragmentary sectional view and is taken inthe direction of the arrows 55 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is another enlarged fragmentary sectional View and is taken inthe direction of the arrows 6-6 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail of the portion of theapparatus included in the circle designated at 7 in FIG. 5 and isexemplary of the plurality of positioning and registration engagementmeans of the exemplary first form of the apparatus.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken in the direction of thearrows 88 of FIG. 5 with all portions of the apparatus below and behindthe plane of the section being removed from reasons of drawingsimplification and clarity.

FIG. 9 is a view which partly comprises a top plan view of the upperhorizontally directed supporting shelf member of the apparatus, astaketn in the direction of the arrows 9-9 of FIG. 2, and which is partlyin crosssection on the plane of said arrows 99 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view taken in the direction of the arrows 1010-of FIG. 2 and illustrates a typical wheel-mounting arrangement for oneof the two wheels rollably mounting the base member-it being understoodthat the other wheel is similarly mounted.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary, partly broken away, sectional view,taken in the direction of the arrows 12-12 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view similar to slightly less than the lefthalf portion of the FIG. 5, but illustrates a modified type ofpositioning and registration means which a positively retains eachvending machine with respect to the intervening shelf member.

Generally speaking, the exemplary form of the invention illustrated maybe said to comprise a display and mounting stand, such as is generallydesignated at 21, which includes a base member 22 which is shown in theexemplary form as being of generally rectangular shape as seen in topplan view with a centrally positioned trapezoidal cutout portion at thefront thereof, as indicated at 23, whereby to effectively define twoforwardly extending foot portions 24 which greatly add to the stabilityof the entire device, while the trapezoidal cutout 23 allows customersto walk to a very closely frontally adjacent position with respect tothe entire stand 21.

In the exemplary first form of the invention illustrated, the basemember 22 has a substantially flat top wall member 25 and a peripheraldownwardly extending side wall member 26 around substantially thecomplete periphery thereof whereby to provide the proper height for thebzase member 22 without requiring the use of unnecessary material andthereby unnecessarily increasing the weight thereof. The base member 22may be made of zinc or any other suitable metal. It may be made bysand-casting, die-casting, or any other suitable process. It will benoted that the rear end of the base member 22 is provided with wheelmeans, such as indicated at 27 (actually a pair of laterally spacedwheels 27) to provide mobility for the entire device when it is tippedbackwardly so that the supporting feet 24 project angularly upwardlyfrom an underlying supporting surface while the wheel means 27 rest uponsaid supporting surface. This will, of course, enable the entire deviceto be merely wheeled along in any desired direction in the manner of aconventional hand truck or dolly.

The base member 22 is provided adjacent to the rear thereof with aninteriorly threaded socket 28 threadedly receiving and firmly mountingthe exteriorly threaded lower end 29 of a main vertical support memberor standard generally indicated at 31. In the exemplary form of theinvention illustrated, said main vertical support member 31 is of hollowtubular construction and extends upwardly from the base member 22 atright angles to the top surface 25 thereof for the purpose of mountingand supporting a lower substantially horizontally directed supportingshelf member 32 and an upper substantially horizontally directedsupporting shelf member 33 in vertically superimposed and verticallyspaced similar horizontally directed relationship for the purpose ofsupporting a plurality of vending machines thereon, such as generallydesignated at 34.

It will be noted that the plurality of horizontal supporting shelfmembers shown in the exemplary form of the invention as comprising thelower horizontal supporting shelf member 32 and the upper horizontallydirected supporting shelf member 33 are mounted by the main verticalsupport member 31 in a manner such as to allow relative verticaladjustment thereof. This is for the purpose of making it possible toincrease the vertical clearance between the lower supporting shelfmember 32 and the upper supporting shelf member 33 when it is desired toremove either or both of the two lower vending machines 34 and/or toreplace same with two similar vending machines, after which the verticalclearance between the lower and upper supporting shelves 32 and 33 willbe returned to its normal vertical height which will positively lock thetwo lower vending machines 34 between the lower supporting shelf member32 and the upper supporting shelf member 33 in a manner which will bedescribed hereinafter.

In the exemplary first form of the invention illustrated, theabove-mentioned vertical-clearance-space-increasing relative verticalpositional adjustment of the lower and upper supporting shelf members 32and 33 is achieved by upward vertical movement of the upper supportingshelf member 33 along the main vertical support member 31 and theopposite vertical-clearance-space-decreasing adjustment of said twoshelf members 32 and 33 is accomplished by downward vertical movement ofthe upper supporting shelf member 33 along the main vertical supportmember 31. In the exemplary form illustrated, this is provided by reasonof the fact that the upper supporting shelf member 33 has an aperturedcollar 35 formed at the rear apex of the triangularly rearwardlyprojecting portion 33R of said shelf member with said collar 35 beingslidably positioned on the tubular main vertical support member 31 andbeing provided with locking socket head fastening set screw means 36.This makes it possible to vertically adjust the position of the uppersupporting shelf member 33 to any desired position along the verticallength of the tubular main vertical support member 31 and to then firmlylock same in said adjusted, position by means of the set screw means 36.

It will be noted that the lower supporting shelf member 32 is of similarconstruction and has a similar apertured collar 37 at the rear end 32Rthereof which is provided with a similar locking set screw 3%. However,this is done for simplicity of manufacture since this will mean that allof the supporting shelf members will be identical or nearly so.Actually, the collar 37 and fastening set screw means 33 of the lowersupporting shelf member 32 are effectively nonfunctional once thedisplay stand 21 is fully assembled, since a forward portion of saidlower supporting shelf member 32 is additionally and firmly fixedlysupported by an auxiliary tubular support member 39 which has anexteriorly threaded upper end 41 received within the interiorly threadedsocket 42 carried by the lower supporting shelf member 32 and which hasan exteriorly threaded lower end 4-3 received within the interiorlythreaded socket 44 formed in the base member 22 forwardly of thepreviously described rear socket 28 carrying the main vertical supportmember 31. This provides a structure which makes assembly of the displaystand 21 very simple and yet which provides an extremely rigid displaystand once the apparatus has been assembled and the two vertical supportmembers 31 and 38? fastened in the mounting relationship clearly shownin FIGS. 1 and 2 and since the lower collar 37 and set screw means 38have been firmly locked in position relative to the main verticalsupport member 31.

The lower supporting shelf member 32 effectively defines and comprises aplurality of upwardly directed or facing positioning and registrationengagement elements adapted to be engaged with respect to correspondingpositioning and registration engagement elements effectively defined andcomprised by the corresponding bottom portions of the correspondinglower vending machines 34 in superimposed engagement therewith forpositive positioning and registration purposes.

In the exemplary first form of the invention illustrated, said. lowersupporting shelf member 32 may be said to effectively define andcomprise two such upwardly directed and facing positioning andregistration engagement elements, each shown in said exemplary form ofthe invention as comprising a female engagement element taking the formof a peripheral upwardly vertically extending edge flange 45 defining afemale receiving recess 46 therein of a size and shape such as to beadapted to receive, engage, and hold the corresponding positioning andregistration engagement element carried by the corresponding bottomportion of the corresponding one of the two lower vending machines 34.

Each of said corresponding positioning and registration engagementelements carried by the two lower vending machines 34 is formed out of abottom portion 47 thereof and may be said to effectively comprise adownwardly directed insert means, indicated generally at 48, comprisinga predetermined short vertical length of the complete bottom end portion4.7 of said vending machines 34.

It will be noted that said insert means 48 formed of the bottom portion47 of each vending machines 34 is of exactly the right size and shape tobe received within the correspondingly shaped and sized (although veryslightly larger) receiving recess means 4-6 of the underlying lowersupporting shelf member 32 in the manner most clearly shown in FIG. 6whereby to provide positive positioning and registration of each of thetwo lower vending machines 34 with respect to said lower supportingshelf member 32.

When said lower vending machines 34- are so mounted, it will beunderstood that they are positively prevented from any kind of lateralor horizontal movement by reason of the peripheral surroundingengagement of the edge flange 45 with respect to the insert member 48comprising a predetermined length of the lower end 47 of each of thelower vending machines 34.

However, it will also be understood that relative vertical movement ofthe lower vending machines 34 with respect to the lower supporting shelfmember 32 is not prevented and either of said two lower vending machines34 can be readily lifted directly upwardly so as to disengage the maleengagement element or means 48 from the female engagement element 45.This will allow either or both of the two bottom vending machines 34 tobe readily removed by direct upward vertical movement of said vendingmachines 34 off the underlying supporting shelf member 32.

However, whenever such direct upward movement of the two lowermostvending machines 34- is prevented, it will be understood that saidvending machines 34 will be positively positioned and maintained in theregistered predetermined relationships clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and6, by the two positioning and registration engagement elements or means45 and the two cooperating positioning and registration engagementelements or means 4-3 just described in detail, which may be said totogether effectively comprise positioning and registration means. Suchprevention of vertical movement of the lower pair of vending machines 34will be achieved by means described in greater detail hereinafter.

It should be noted that the upper supporting shelf member 33 alsoeffectively defines and comprises two positioning and registrationengagement elements generally similar to those shown at 45 in FIG. 6 andsimilarly comprising edge flanged female positioning and registrationelements 48 or means defining similar receiving recesses 46 therein.Furthermore, it should be noted that the upper pair of vending machines34 also effectively defines and comprises two downwardly directedpositioning and registration engagement elements of a male type andgenerally similar to the insert members 43 shown in FIG. 6. Therefore,these parts are similarly numbered in FIG. 5 and will not be againdescribed in detail with respect to the portions thereof identical tothose described in connection with the lower shelf member 32.

However, an additional set of registration elements or means is includedin the showing of FIG. 5 and the additional portions will now bedescribed in detail.

Said additional portions of each of the two female positioning andregistration elements 45, as shown in FIG. 5, comprise similardownwardly directed peripheral edge flange means 49 carried by theunderside of the upper supporting shelf member 33 which efiectivelydefine therein two receiving recesses, indicated generally at 50, eachof which is of a size and shape such as to receivingly engage therein acorresponding one of an additional pair of male positioning andregistration engagement elements, indicated generally at 51 in FIG. 5,comprising predetermined vertical lengths of top portions 52 of the twolower vending machines 34- each of said engagement elements 51effectively comprising a male engagement element which takes the form ofan insert means substantially similar to the previously describeddownwardly directed insert means 48 formed out of a bottom portion 47 ofeach of said vending machines 34.

Each of the downwardly directed recesses 50, comprising the twodownwardly directed female positioning and registration engagementelements 49, positively and firmly receives the corresponding upwardlydirected male engagement element 51 formed out of the corresponding topportion 52 of the corresponding one of the two lower vending machines 34in a manner which firmly locks it in place as is clearly shown in FIG.5. This arrangement not only looks the upper pair of vending machines 34with respect to the upper supporting shelf member 33, but also locks thelower pair of vending machines 34 with respect to said upper supportingshelf member 33 in a positively positioned and registered manner so thateach of the two pairs of vending machines will be verticallysuperimposed in aligned relationship as clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5,and 7. In the case of FIG, 5, the positioning and registrationengagement elements 4546, 47-48, 49-53, and 51-52, may all be said totogether comprise positioning and registration engagement means of oneexemplary type.

In order to firmly lock the four vending machines 34 together withrespect to the lower and upper supporting shelf members 32 and 33 so asto prevent disengagement of said vending machines 34 from said shelfmembers 32 and 33, a cover member 53 is provided and is adapted to bevertically spaced above and vertically superimposed with respect to theupper shelf member 33 and is adapted to be vertically adjustably andcontrollably lockably secured to the main vertical support member 31 atan extreme uppermost location by means of a rear positioned aperturedcollar 35 generally similar to the apertured collar 35 of the uppershelf member 33 which is rovided with locking set screw means 36'similar to the locking set screw means 36 carried by the aperturedcollar 36 of the upper shelf member 33. It will be noted that the covermember 53 is adapted to be positioned in top abutment with the topportions 52 of the upper pair of vending machines 34 and to be firmlydownwardly forced thereagainst and held thereagainst by vertical tie rodmeans 54 which has an exteriorly threaded lower end 55 threadedlyfastened within an interiorly threaded socket or boss 56 carried by thelower supporting shelf member 32.

The upper end of the tie rod member 54 has an upper exteriorly threadedend 57 threadedly engaged within an interiorly threadedy clindricallyshaped lock body member 58 which has an annularly extended cylindricalretaining collar 59 at the upper end thereof positioned in an enlargedcylindrical aperture 61 in the cover member 53.

It will be understood that when the upper set screw means 36 is loosenedor unlocked and the cylindrical lock body member 58 is unthreaded fromthe threaded upper end 57 of the tie rod means 54 by rotating a key inthe key aperture 62, this will allow vertical adjustment of the entirecover member 53 upwardly for removal of the upper pair of vendingmachines 34 and for the interchanging therewith of a replacement pair ofsimilar vending machines 34 for the previously described purposes of thepresent invention. Then the cover member 53 can be moved downwardly asfar as possible into engaged relationship with respect to the upper pairof replacement vending machines 34, the cylindrical lock body member 58may be threadedly reengaged and firmly tightened with respect to thethreaded upper end 57 of the tie rod means 54 by rotating a key in thekey aperture 62 whereby to cause the cover member 53 to be positivelyand firmly forced downwardly against the top portions 52 of the upperpair of vending machines 34 in a manner such as to draw the entireassembly of all four vending machines 34 together in a firmly fastenedmanner and whereby to cause the positioning and registration engagementmeans and the elements thereof shown in detail in FIG. 4 to bepositively engaged. Then the upper set screw means 36 may be tightenedagainst the main vertical supporting member 31 so as to lock the entireassembly together.

It will be noted that the above-mentioned positioning and registrationengagement means, and the elements thereof as shown in FIG. 4,effectively comprises a pair of downwardly directed female positioningand registration engagement means or elements 45' defined and comprisedby the cover member 53 and taking the form of peripheral edge flangemeans defining downwardly facing receiving recess means 46' similar tothe corresponding elements shown at 45 and 46 in FIGS. -7 and adapted tobe forced downwardly over the corresponding pair of upwardly directedmale positioning and registration engagement means or elementscomprising the insert means generally indicated at 51 and taking theform of predetermined vertical lengths of the top portions 52 of the twoupper vending machines 34.

' Thus, it will be seen that applying tension to the tie rod member 54by rotating a key in the key slot 62 as described above (and prior tothe tightening of the upper set screw means 36) will draw all of thevending machines 34, the lower and upper supporting shelf members 32 and33, and the cover member 53 toward each other with all of the previouslydescribed positioning and registration engagement means firmly lockedtogether, thus providing a very strong and rigid assembly of all fourvending machines 34, the lower support shelf member 32, the uppersupporting shelf member 33, and the cover member However, it will alsobe readily understood that inserting a key in the slot 62 and rotatingsame in the opposite direction (of course, after the unlocking of theupper set screw means 36) so as to threadedly disengage the cylindricallock body member 58 from the exteriorly threaded upper end 57 of the tierod member 54, will allow the cover member 53 to be either moved to anelevated position on the main vertical support member 31 and locked bythe set screw means 36 or to be completely removed, and this will, ofcourse, allow the upper pair of vending machines 34 to be removed bymerely lifting them upwardly out of the upwardly directed edge flangemeans 45 carried by the upper supporting shelf member 33.

Removal of the lower pair of vending machines 34 may be accomplished,after removal of the upper pair of vending machines as referred toabove, by merely loosening the locking set screw means 36 carried by thecollar 35 at the back. end of the upper supporting shelf member 33 andthen vertically lifting same along the main vertical support member 31to a height suflicient to allow the lower vending machines 34 to bedirectly lifted out of the recesses 46 defined within the upwardlydirected edge flange means 45 carried by the lower supporting shelfmember 32. This operation may be facilitated by locking the set screwmeans 36 and the collar 35 in said elevated position during the removalof the lower vending machines 34, if desired.

The removal of the lower pair of vending machines 36 may also beaccomplished in a slightly different manner in those cases where theupper vending machines 34 have not been previously removed. When this isthe case, it is first necessary to loosen the top set screw means 36'and to insert a key in the key slot 62 and unthread the cylindrical lockbody portion 58 from the threaded upper end 57 of the tie rod 54 and tothen vertically lift the cover member 53 upwardly along the mainvertical support member 31 to a height sufiicient to allow the uppersupporting shelf member 33 to be similarly lifted along the mainvertical support member 31 after loosening its set screw means 36 in themanner referred to above. When this mode of removal of the lower pair ofvending machines is performed, the cover member 53 and the upper shelfmember 33 may be locked in said elevated positions temporarily bytightening the set screw means 36 and 36 in said elevated positions onthe upper portions of the main vertical support member 31.

Replacement of vending machines 34 with respect to the lower supportingshelf member 32, the upper supporting shelf member 33, and the top covermember 53 effectively comprises the reverse of the removal operationsdescribed above and effectively comprises the reengagement of each ofthe male insert members or engagement elements 48 and 51 positioned atthe top and bottom of each of the vending machines 34 with thecorresponding receiving female engagement means or elements comprisingthe corresponding peripheral edge flange means 45, 49, and 45 carried bythe lower supporting shelf member 32, the upper supporting shelf member33, and the cover member 53, after which the interiorly threadedcylindrical lock body portion 53 may be threadedly reengaged andtightened with respect to the threaded upper end 57 of the tie rodmember 54 by means of a key temporarily positioned in the key slot 62.Then each of the set screw means 36, 36, and 38 may be tightened, thuslocking the entire apparatus in rigid assembled relationship such as isclearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Of course, upon completion of the remounting and locking operation, thekey will be removed from the key slot 62 and the maintenance or serviceman will take the vending machines 34 which have been removed andreplaced back to a central depot for removal of coins therefrom and forrefilling the upper receptacles R thereof with merchandise to be vended.In this connection, it should be noted that each of the top portions 52of each of the vending machines 34 is locked thereon by a lock 64 whichis adapted to be unlocked by a key which is not in the possession of theservice or maintenance man.

The above-described locking and unlocking operation of the cover means53 with respect to the plurality of vending machines 34 is facilitatedby reason of the fact that the tie rod member 53 is of nonround,cross-sectional configuration (square in the example illustrated) andpasses vertically through a correspondingly shaped aperture 65 in theupper supporting shelf member 33, thus preventing said tie rod member 54from rotating or being rotated. This, of course, means that the lockingand unlocking of the cover member 53 with respect to the tie rod member54 can only be achieved through the use of a key inserted in the keyslot 62 (plus the unlocking of the upper socket head set screw means 36'by an appropriate wrench), thus preventing any unauthorized tamperingwith the apparatus and the possible removal of any of the vendingmachines 34 by unauthorized persons.

It should be clearly understood that the positioning and registrationmeans and the elements thereof shown in the exemplary first form of theinvention illustrated in FIGS. 1-11 are to be construed as exemplaryonly and are not to be construed as specifically limiting the inventionto the precise structure shown in FIGS. 1-11. In fact, it should becompletely apparent that numerous modifications thereof are within thebroad spirit and scope of the present invention.

For example, it is evident that the relative positional reversal of anyor all of the male and female elements of the various positioning andregistration engagement means could be effected without departing fromthe broad spirit and scope of the present invention, and one suchexemplary arrangement is illustrated fragmentarily in FIG. 12 which issimilar to the left portion of FIG. 5, and which shows a very slightmodification of the positioning and registration engagement elements ofFIG. and designated in FIG. 5 by the reference numerals 45-46, 47-48,49-50, and 51-52. The slightly modified positioning and engagementelements which correspond to those just identified in FIG. 5 aredesignated by similar reference numerals, followed by the letter a,however, in FIG. 1l2.

It will be noted that the modification of the positioning andregistration engagement elements 45a of FIG. 12 merely comprises theeffective alteration of the engagement elements 45 which were femaleengagement elements in the first form of the invention, into theeffectively male engagement elements shown at 45a in FIG. 12 which areof a size and shape such as to be inserted into the open bottom end wall48a of the bottom portion 47a of the vending macine 34asaid open bottomend wall 48a now efiectively comprising a female engagement elementrather than a male en agement element as shown in the earlier form ofthe invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-11. In other words, thismodification merely illustrates the effective positional reversal ofmale and female engagement elements at the junction of each of the twosupporting shelf members, such as those shown at 32 and 33 in the firstform of the invention and such as the corresponding upper shelf portionshown fragmentarily at 33a in FIG. 12, with respect to the bottom endportions of the vending machines.

Of course, it should be clearly understood that such a partial reversalof male and female engagement elements may also be effected with respectto the upper ends of any of the vending machines and with respect to thedownwardly directed engagement elements carried by the two supportingshelf members and the cover member, in certain modified forms of theinvention.

It should also be noted that the positioning and registration engagementmeans best shown in FIGS.4-7 and described in detail hereinbeforecomprises one specific exemplary but nonspecifically limiting formthereof, while the modified form thereof shown fragmentarily in FIG. 12comprises another exemplary but nonspecifically limiting form thereof.Furthermore, it should be understood that the invention is intended tobroadly include and comprehend various other and different specificexemplary forms thereof which are substantially functionally equivalentthereto in that they allow the quick and easy removal of any of theplurality of vending machines by direct disengagement therefrom tofacilitate such vending machine removal when the cover member iseffectively unlocked from the rest of the apparatus. Another specificexemplary and nonspecifically limiting form thereof is more particularlydescribed, illustrated, and claimed in my copen-ding patent application,entitled Mounting and Display Stand for a Plurality of Vending Machines,Serial No. 381,649, filed concurrently herewith on July 10, 1964, saidapplication also comprising the generic or basic application andcontaining therein the broad generic claims covering both the exemplaryspecies disclosed therein and the exemplary species disclosed herein andothers within the broad scope of the present invention.

Additionally, it should be noted that while each of the supporting shelfmembers, such as the lower one 32 and the upper one 33 illustrated inFIGS. 1-11, is shown as being adapted to support two vending machines,such as those illustrated at 34, the invention is not specifically solimited and not only may the number of such supporting shelves belimited, but the width thereof may also be varied to accommodate,receive and support a greater or lesser number of vending machines whichmay be of the same size as those illustrated, smaller than thoseillustrated, or larger than those illustrated, thus making it possiblefor the complete display and mounting stand to mount relatively fewvending machines or a great number thereof as determined by variation inthe specific design of the apparatus for particular purposes.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific descriptionthereof set forth in this application are for the purpose ofillustrating the present invention and are not to be construed aslimiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specificstructure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore.Rather, the real invention is intended to include substantiallyequivalent constructions embodying the basic teachings and inventiveconcept of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A display and mounting stand for a plurality of vending machines,comprising: a base member; a main vertical support member extendingupwardly from said base member and secured thereto at its lowerextremity; at least two vertically superimposed and vertically spacedsubstantially horizontal shelf members for a plurality of vendingmachines including a lower shelf member for a plurality of vendingmachines, and secured to said vertical support member at a lowerlocation, and an upper shelf member vertically spaced above andsuperimposed with respect to said lower shelf member and releasably andvertically adjustably secured to said main vertical support member at anupper location; an upper cover member adapted to be vertically spacedabove and superimposed with respect to said upper shelf member andvertically adjustably and lockably secured to said main vertical supportmember at an uppermost location and adapted to be positioned in topabutment with top portions of a plurality of upper vending machines whentheir bottom portions are supported on said upper shelf member; andvertical tie rod means having a bottom end portion secured to saidlowermost shelf member and having a top end portion lockably securableto said cover member for locking a plurality of vending machines betweensaid cover member and said upper shelf member and between said uppershelf member and said lower shelf member in a non-removable manner; saidlower shelf member effectively defining and comprising at least oneupwardly facing positioning and registration engagement element for eachvending ma- 'chine adapted to be received thereover and engaginglycooperable with a corresponding mating positioning and registrationengagement element effectively defined and comprised by a bottom portionof a vending machine when engaged therewith for positive positioning andregistration purposes; said upper shelf member comprising at least oneupwardly facing positioning and registration engagement element for eachvending machine adapted to be received thereover and engaginglycooperable with a corresponding mating positioning and registrationengagement element comprised by a bottom portion of a vending machine insuperimposed engagement therewith for positive positioning andregistration purposes, said upper shelf member also comprising at leastone downwardly facing positioning and registration engagement elementfor each vending machine adapted to be positioned thereunder and carriedby said lower shelf member and engagingly cooperable with acorresponding mating positioning and registration engagement elementadapted to be comprised by a top portion of a vending machine inunderlying engagement therewith for positive positioning andregistration purposes; said cover member comprising at least onedownwardly facing positioning and registration engagement element foreach vending machine adapted to be positioned thereunder and carried bysaid upper shelf member and engagingly cooperable with a correspondingmating positioning and registration engagement element comprised by atop portion of a vending machine in underlying engagement therewith forpositive positioning and registration purposes, each engageable pair ofsaid mating positioning and registration engagement elements formed bytop and bottom portions of a plurality of vending machines and saidpositioning and registration engagement elements carried by said lowershelf member, said upper shelf member and said cover member comprisingpositioning and registration means cooperable for positively positioningand maintaining registration of the plurality of vending machines incertain predetermined relationships with respect to said lower shelfmember, said upper shelf member, and said cover member, each engageablepair of said plurality of positioning and registration engagementelements comprising one female engagement element and a correspondingmale insert engagement element with each of said elements beingsubstantially coextensive in area with the complete corresponding top orbottom portion of the corresponding one of a plurality of vendingmachines.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said cover member isprovided with a key-operated threaded tensionapplying member threadedlycooperable with the upper end of said vertical tie rod means.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said vertical tie rod meanshas an effective nonrotative engagement portion keyed with respect to,and passing vertical- 1y through, said upper shelf member whereby toprevent rotation of said vertical tie rod means.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said vertical tie rod meanshas a threaded upper end, said cover member being provided with akey-operated threaded tension-applying member threadedly cooperable withsaid threaded upper end of said vertical tie rod means, said verticaltie rod means having an intermediate non-rotative engagement key portionkeyed with respect to, and passing vertically through, said upper shelfmember .whereby to prevent rotation of said vertical tie rod means.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including an auxiliary verticalsupport member extending upwardly from said base member and securedthereto at its lower extremity at a position forward of thecorresponding lower extremity of the main vertical support member, saidauxiliary vertical support member having its upper end secured to saidlower shelf member.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said positioning andregistration engagement elements comprised and defined by said shelfmembers and said cover member comprises a peripheral verticallyextending edge flange defining a female receiving recess thereinvertically directed toward and adapted to receive and engage thecorresponding engagement element comprised and defined by thecorresponding bottom or top portion of a corresponding vending machine,and wherein each of said positioning and registration engagementelements effectively defined and comprised by said bottom and topportions, respectively, of a corresponding vending machine effectivelycomprises a male engagement projection and insert means taking the formof a predetermined short vertical length of substantially the completetop or bottom end portion of a corresponding vending machine of a sizeadapted to be received within the corresponding one of said femalereceiving recesses defined by the corresponding peripheral verticallyextending edge flange of the corresponding shelf or cover member.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said cover member isprovided with a key-operated threaded tension-applying member threadedlycooperable with the upper end of said vertical tie rod means.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said vertical tie rod meanshas an effective nonrotative engagement portion keyed with respect to,and passing vertically through, said upper shelf member whereby toprevent rotation of said vertical tie rod means.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said vertical tie rod meanshas a threaded upper end, said cover member being provided with akey-operated threaded tensionapplying member threadedly cooperable withsaid threaded upper end of said vertical tie rod means, said verticaltie rod means having an intermediate nonrotative engagement key portionkeyed with respect to, and passing vertically through, said upper shelfmember whereby to prevent rotation of said vertical tie rod means.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, including an axiliary verticalsupport member extending upwardly from said base member and securedthereto at it lower extremity at a position forward of the correspondinglower extremity of the main vertical support member, said auxiliaryvertical support member having its upper end secured to said lower shelfmember.

11. A display and mounting stand for a plurality of vending machines,comprising in combination: a plurality of vending machines, each havinga top and bottom portion; a base member; a main vertical support memberextending upwardly from said base member and secured thereto at itslower extremity; at least two vertically superimposed and verticallyspaced substantially horizontal shelf members for said plurality ofvending machines including a lower shelf member for a lower part of saidplurality of vending machines, and secured to said vertical supportmember at a lower location, and an upper shelf member vertically spacedabove and superimposed with respect to said lower shelf member andreleasably and vertically adjustably secured to said main verticalsupport member at an upper location; an upper cover member adapted to bevertically spaced above and superimposed with respect to said uppershelf member and vertically adjustably and lockably secured to said mainvertical support member at an uppermost location and adapted to bepositioned in top abutment with said top portions of an upper part ofsaid plurality of vending machines when their bottom portions aresupported on said upper shelf member; and vertical tie rod means havinga bottom portion secured to said lowermost shelf member and having a topend portion lockably securable to said cover member for locking saidplurality of vending machines between said cover member and said uppershelf member and between said upper shelf member and said lower shelfmember in a nonremovable manner; each of said top and bottom portions ofsaid plurality of vending machines comprising corresponding upwardlyfacing and downwardly facing positioning and registration engagementelements, respectively; said lower shelf member comprising at least oneupwardly facing positioning and registration engagement element for eachof said plurality of vending machines adapted to be received thereoverand engagingly cooperable with a corresponding mating and downwardlyfacing one of said positioning and registration engagement elementscomprised by the bottom portion of a corresponding one of said pluralityof vending machines in superimposed engagement therewith for positivepositioning and registration purposes; said upper shelf membercomprising at least one upwardly facing positioning and registrationengagement element for each of said plurality of vending machinesadapted to be received thereover and engagingly cooperable with acorresponding mating downwardly facing one of said positioning andregistration engagement elements comprised by the bottom portion of acorresponding one of said plurality of vending machines in superimposedengagement therewith for positive positioning and registration purposes,said upper shelf member also comprising at least one downwardly facingpositioning and registration engagement element for each of saidplurality of vending machines adapted to be positioned thereunder andcarried by said lower shelf member and engagingly cooperable with acorresponding mating upwardly facing one of said positioning andregistration engagement elements comprised by the top portion of acorresponding one of said plurality of vending machines in underlyingengagement therewith for positive positioning and registration purposes;said cover member comprising at least one downwardly facing positioningand registration engagement element for each of said plurality ofvending machines adapted to be positioned thereunder and carried by saidupper shelf member and engagingly cooperable with a corresponding matingone of said positioning and registration engagement elements comprisedby the top portion of a corresponding one of said plurality of vendingmachines in underlying engagement therewith for positive positioning andregistration purposes, each engageable pair of said mating positioningand registration engagement elements comprised by top and bottomportions of said plurality of vending machines and by said lower shelfmember, said upper shelf member, and said cover member togethercomprising positioning and registration means cooperable for positivelypositioning and maintaining registration of the plurality of vendingmachines in certain predetermined relationships with respect to saidlower shelf member, said upper shelf member. and said cover member; eachengageable pair of said plurality of positioning and registrationengagement elements comprising one female element and a correspondingmale insert engagement element, with each of said elements beingsubstantially coextensive in area with the complete corresponding top orbottom portion of the corresponding one of said plurality of vendingmachines.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein each of said positioningand registration engagement elements comprised by said top and bottomportions of said plurality af vending machines takes the form of aperipheral vertically extending edge flange defining a female receivingrecess therein vertically directed toward and adapted to receive andengage the corresponding male insert engagement for receiving engagementwith respect thereto.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,038,923 9/1912Mathy 220-97 1,409,609 3/1922 Stockle 1357.1 1,739,425 12/1929 Stefan220- 1,771,264 7/ 1930 Marrits 22097 2,639,208 5/1953 Obenchain 3l2-l002,679,890 6/1954 Zannoth 248-424 3,045,400 7/1962 Grose 5337 3,100,9688/1963 Bourdon 6148 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

1. A DISPLAY AND MOUNTING STAND FOR A PLURALITY OF VENDING MACHINES,COMPRISING: A BASE MEMBER; A MAIN VERTICAL SUPPORT MEMBER EXTENDINGUPWARDLY FROM SAID BASE MEMBER AND SECURED THERETO AT ITS LOWEREXTREMITY; AT LEAST TWO VERTICALLY SUPERIMPOSED AND VERTICALLY SPACEDSUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL SHELF MEMBERS FOR A PLURALITY OF VENDINGMACHINES INCLUDING A LOWER SHELF MEMBER FOR A PLURALITY OF VENDINGMACHINES, AND SECURED TO SAID VERTICAL SUPPORT MEMBER AT A LOWERLOCATION, AND AN UPPER SHELF MEMBER VERTICALLY SPACED ABOVE ANDSUPERIMPOSED WITH RESPECT TO SAID LOWER SHELF MEMBER AND RELEASABLY ANDVERTICALLY ADJUSTABLY SECURED TO SAID MAIN VERTICAL SUPPORT MEMBER AT ANUPPER LOCATION; AN UPPER COVER MEMBER ADAPTEDS TO BE VERTICALLY SPACEDABOVE AND SUPERIMPOSED WITH RESPECT TO SAID UPPER SHELF MEMBER ANDVERTICALLY ADJUSTABLY AND LOCKABLY SECURED TO SAID MAIN VERTICAL SUPPORTMEMBER AT AN UPPERMOST LOCATION AND ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED IN TOPABUTMENT WITH TOP PORTIONS OF A PLURALITY OF UPPER VENDING MACHINES WHENTHEIR BOTTOM PORTIONS ARE SUPPORTED ON SAID UPPER SHELF MEMBER; ANDVERTICAL TIE ROD MEANS HAVING A BOTTOM END PORTION SECURED TO SAIDLOWERMOST SHELF MEMBER AND HAVING A TOP END PORTION LOCKABLY SECURABLETO SAID COVER MEMBER FOR LOCKING A PLURALITY OF VENDING MACHINES BETWEENSAID COVER MEMBER AND SAID UPPER SHELF MEMBER AND BETWEEN SAID UPPERSHELF MEMBER AND SAID LOWER SHELF MEMBER IN A NON-REMOVABLE MANNER; SAIDLOWER SHELF MEMBER EFFECTIVELY DEFINING AND COMPRISING AT LEAST ONEUPWARDLY FACING POSITIONING AND REGISTRATION ENGAGEMENT ELEMENT FOR EACHVENDING MACHINE ASDAPTED TO BE RECEIVED THEREOVER AND ENGAGINGLYCOOPERABLE WITH A CORRESPONDING MATING POSITIONING AND REGISTRATIONENGAGEMENT ELEMENT EFFECTIVELY DEFINED AND COMPRISED BY A BOTTOM PORTIONOF A VENDING MACHINE WHEN ENGAGED THEREWITH FOR POSITIVE POSITIONING ANDREGISTRATION PURPOSES; SAID UPPER SHELF MEMBER COMPRISING AT LEAST ONEUPWARDLY FACING POSITIONING AND REGISTRATION ENGAGEMENT ELEMENT FOR EACHVENDING MACHINE ADAPTED TO BE RECEIVED THEREOVER AND ENGAGINGLYCOOPERABLE WITH A CORRESPONDING MATING POSITIONING AND REGISTRATIONENGAGEMENT ELEMENT COMPRISED BY A BOTTOM PORTION OF A